6th-level Spell: Powerful Reanimation

Sorcery/Whispering (Necromancy)

You summon a mighty surge of necromantic power to revive the dead as undead servants. Choose a number of bone piles or corpses within range up to your proficiency bonus, which belonged in life to a creature of CR 6 or less. Each target is raised as a Skeleton, Zombie, or Ghoul, applying the appropriate template to its former stat block.

On each of your turns, you can use a bonus action to mentally command any or all minions you created through this spell within 60 feet. You select an action for each creature and where it will move. You can also issue a general command, such as to guard a particular chamber or corridor. If you issue no command, the creature moves to attack any creatures hostile to it or takes the Dodge action if it cannot detect any.

The targets are under your control for 24 hours, after which they become hostile to you and all living things. You can control a number of minions up to your proficiency bonus through this spell, but their combined CR cannot exceed 10. You can cast this spell without any targets to renew the duration of control on all your current minions, as well as any created through the Reanimation spell. Minions created through Reanimation also count towards the 10-CR limit.

• At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 7th level, its duration increases to 1 week. If you cast this spell using a spell slot of 8th level or higher, its duration is permanent.

Source: SDS (Animate Dead, modified)

Templates

Skeleton Template

When reanimated as a skeleton, a creature receives the following modifications:

• Its type becomes Undead.
• Its Strength becomes 10 if it was lower.
• Its Dexterity becomes 14 if it was lower.
• Its Constitution becomes 15, its Intelligence becomes 6, its Wisdom becomes 8, and its Charisma becomes 5.
• It gains vulnerability to bludgeoning damage, immunity to poison damage, and immunity to the exhaustion and poisoned conditions.
• It has 60-foot darkvision.
• Its hit points become 13 if they were lower than 13.
• Its challenge rating becomes 1/4 if it was lower than 1/4.

A reanimated creature retains its weapon and armor proficiencies and any damage resistances or immunities. It loses all languages, but can understand its creator’s speech. It retains any natural weapon attacks. Other features are generally lost, but may be retained at your GM’s discretion.

Zombie Template

When reanimated as a zombie, a creature receives the following modifications:

• Its type becomes Undead.
• Its Strength becomes 13 if it was lower.
• Its Dexterity becomes 6 if it was higher.
• Its Constitution becomes 16, its Intelligence becomes 3, its Wisdom becomes 6, and its Charisma becomes 5.
• Its speed is reduced by 10 feet.
• It gains immunity to poison damage, and immunity to the poisoned condition.
• It has 60-foot darkvision.
• Its hit points become 22 if they were lower than 22.
• Its challenge rating becomes 1/4 if it was lower than 1/4.
• It gains the trait: Undead Fortitude. If damage reduces the zombie to 0 hit points, it must make a Constitution saving throw with a DC of 5 + the damage taken, unless the damage is radiant or from a critical hit. On a success, the zombie drops to 1 hit point instead.

A reanimated creature retains its weapon and armor proficiencies and any damage resistances or immunities. It loses all languages, but can understand its creator’s speech. It retains any natural weapon attacks. Other features are generally lost, but may be retained at your GM’s discretion.

Ghoul Template

When reanimated as a ghoul, a creature receives the following modifications:

• Its type becomes Undead.
• Its Strength becomes 13 if it was lower.
• Its Dexterity becomes 15 if it was lower.
• Its Constitution becomes 10, its Intelligence becomes 7, its Wisdom becomes 10, and its Charisma becomes 6.
• It gains immunity to poison damage, and immunity to the charmed, exhaustion, and poisoned conditions.
• It has 60-foot darkvision.
• Its hit points become 22 if they were lower than 22.
• Its challenge rating becomes 1 if it was lower than 1.
• It gains a bite attack, which deals 2d6 damage on a hit.
• It gains a claw attack, which deals 2d4 damage on a hit and can use its Dexterity modifier in place of Strength. Additionally, once on each of its turns when it hits with this attack, it can force the target to make a DC 10 Constitution saving throw or be paralyzed for one minute. The target can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effect on a success. Elves and the undead are immune to this effect.

A reanimated creature retains its weapon and armor proficiencies and any damage resistances or immunities. It loses all languages, but can understand its creator’s speech. It retains any natural weapon attacks. Other features are generally lost, but may be retained at your GM’s discretion.

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*Note that if this spell is applied to commoners or other minimal-threat humanoids, these corpses will produce ordinary skeletons, zombies, and ghouls that use their 5e'2014 stat blocks.

• Casting Time: 1 minute
• Range: 30 feet
• Components: V, S
• Duration: 24 hours
• Ritual: No

Undead Type:

• Sentience: Spirit-infused
• Size: Individual
• Call: Infuse

Touch of Darkness:

• You receive the Tainted condition every time you cast this spell.